Geobalanus oblongifolius

Family:CHRYSOBALANACEAE
Species:Geobalanus oblongifolius (Michx.) Small
Common Name:Gopher Apple; Ground Oak
Habitat:**
Associated Ecological Communities:**
Growth Habit:Shrub
Duration:Perennial
Category:Vascular
USDA Symbol:**
Plant Notes:Gopher Apple is a native shrub in the Coco-Plum family (Chrysobalanaceae). It is native to the southern third of Alabama. Gopher Apple occurs in sand hills, scrub oak woods, xeric Longleaf pine woods, on dunes, and on roadside banks. It is a woody shrub that is extensively colonial from stout underground stems. Stems are from 6 inches to 1 foot in height. Leaves are alternate, oblong to spatulate in outline, with entire or undulate margins. The leaves are thick with raised reticulate veins. The upper leaf surface is glabrous and shiny, the lower surface is dull and either glabrous or pubescent. Flowers are produced in a terminal panicle of cymes. The flower stalks and calyx are densely pubescent. Flowers are radially symmetrical and have five sepals and five white petals. The fruit is a large white drupe. The fruit of Gopher Apple are consumed by Gopher Tortoises and other wildlife. They are also edible for humans, and have a slightly sweet pulp. Gopher Apple is occasionally available from wildflower nurseries. It works well as a low ground cover, especially in dry, nutrient poor soils. Gopher Apple can also be grown from seed.--A. Diamond
Taxonomic Notes:**
Status:Native
References:**
Specimen: View specimen details in the Alabama Herbarium Consortium Specimen Database

** Not applicable or data not available.

Classification

FamilyCHRYSOBALANACEAE - Coco-Plum family
Genus Geobalanus
Species Geobalanus oblongifolius (Michx.) Small - Gopher Apple; Ground Oak

Citation

Citation Geobalanus oblongifolius (Michaux) Small, Fl. Miami 81, 200. 1913.
Basionym: Chrysobalanus oblongifolius Michx. 1803.
Type: USA: GEORGIA: Without data, Michaux s.n. (holotype: P).

** Not applicable or data not available.

Synonyms

SynonymFull CitationBasionymType
Chrysobalanus incanus Chrysobalanus incanus Rafinesque, New Fl. 3: 26. 1838 ("1836"). FLORIDA: Without data, Michaux s.n. (lectotype: P). Lectotypified by Prance, Fl. Neotrop. 9: 42. 1972.
Chrysobalanus retusus Chrysobalanus retusus Rafinesque, New Fl. 3: 26. 1838 ("1836"). ALABAMA/GEORGIA: Without data, Nuttall s.n. (lectotype: BM). Lectotypified by Prance, Fl. Neotrop. 9: 42. 1972.
Chrysobalanus oblongifolius Chrysobalanus oblongifolius Michaux, Fl. Bor.-Amer. 1: 283. 1803. : GEORGIA: Without data, Michaux s.n. (holotype: P).
Geobalanus pallidus Geobalanus pallidus Small, Fl. Miami 81, 200. 1913. FLORIDA: Miami-Dade Co.: Between Cocoanut Grove and Cutler, 31 Oct-4 Nov 1903, Small & Carter 711 (holotype: NY).
Licania michauxii Licania michauxii Prance, J. Arnold Arbor. 51(4): 526. 1970.REPLACED: Chrysobalanus oblongifolius Michaux 1803. 

Specimens and Distribution

This species has been reported in the following counties by the herbaria listed. An overview of the individual specimens are provided in the table that follows. Click on the accession number to view details; click on column headers to sort; choose a county or herbaria to filter the specimen data.

Counties included on distribution map: Baldwin, Clarke, Conecuh, Covington, Dale, Escambia, Geneva, Houston, Mobile, Washington

Counties represented by specimen data listed below:

Herbaria represented by specimen data listed below: ALNHS, AMAL, AUA, JSU, SAMF, TROY, UNA, USAM, UWAL

Range of years during which specimens were collected: 1881 - 1994

Barcode / Accession No. County Coll. Date Collector &
Collection No.
Herbarium &
Herbarium Name Used
Image
USAM000003767 Mobile 25 Jun 1968 Wofford, B. Eugene
245
USAM
Chrysobalanus oblongifolius Michaux
TROY000003754 Dale 13 Jun 2002 Diamond, Alvin R.
13310
TROY
Licania michauxii Prance
AUA_ACC_32870 Clarke 26 May 1976 Sessler, Ann H.
079
AUA
Licania Michauxii Prance
AUA_ACC_71122 Clarke 15 May 2013 Horne, Howard E.
SWS-214
AUA
Licania Michauxii Prance
AUA_ACC_4473 Baldwin May 1964 Creel, John
AUA
Licania Michauxii Prance
JSU118889 Baldwin 20 Aug 1968 Landers, Kenneth E.
s.n.
JSU
Licania michauxii Prance
UNA00034435 Mobile 15 Aug 1966 Deramus, Rebecca
D994
UNA
Licania michauxii Prance
USAM000003765 Baldwin 09 Jun 1969 Kral, Robert
35228
USAM
Chrysobalanus oblongifolius Michaux
TROY000003755 Escambia 14 May 2000 Searcy, Darryl
s.n.
TROY
Licania michauxii Prance
AUA_ACC_69572 Covington 20 Jun 2008 Hansen, Curtis J.
3398
AUA
Licania Michauxii Prance
JSU140341 Escambia 02 Jun 1958 Grelen, H.E.
58
JSU
Licania michauxii Prance
UWAL0039326 Conecuh 26 Jun 2016 Diamond, Alvin R.
27518
UWAL
Licania michauxii Prance
AMAL00023709 Conecuh 16 Jun 2016 Barger, T. Wayne
2602
AMAL
Licania michauxii Prance
AUA_ACC_17251 Baldwin 25 Jul 1969 Miller, L.C.
165
AUA
Licania Michauxii Prance
JSU118887 Baldwin 20 Aug 1968 Landers, Kenneth E.
s.n.
JSU
Licania michauxii Prance
JSU118893 Washington 13 Sep 1997 Whetstone, R. David
18421
JSU
Licania michauxii Prance
UNA00058209 Baldwin 26 May 2002 Haynes, Robert R.
10257
UNA
Licania michauxii Prance
JSU118886 Baldwin 17 Aug 1976 Atkinson, Tim A.
1913
JSU
Licania michauxii Prance
UWAL0030174 Escambia 02 Jun 2015 Davenport, L.J.
5796
UWAL
Licania michauxii Prance
JSU118885 Baldwin 10 Aug 1993 Spaulding, Daniel D.
4298
JSU
Licania michauxii Prance
JSU118892 Escambia 17 Jun 1993 Spaulding, Daniel D.
4144
JSU
Licania michauxii Prance
UWAL0034520 Geneva 05 Jun 1995 Kral, Robert
84858
UWAL
Licania michauxii Prance
UNA00059001 Dale 13 Jun 2002 Diamond, Alvin R.
13310
UNA
Licania michauxii Prance
UWAL0008669 Clarke 15 Jun 2007 Keener, Brian R.
3689
UWAL
Licania michauxii Prance
AUA_ACC_12323 Baldwin 1 May 1965 Koelling, Alfred C.
2250
AUA
Licania Michauxii Prance
AMAL00006358 Dale 13 Jun 2002 Diamond, Alvin R.
13310
AMAL
Licania michauxii Prance
UNA00034430 Mobile 10 Jul 1881 Mohr, Charles
s.n.
UNA
Licania michauxii Prance
AMAL00015933 Baldwin 03 Jun 2007 Keener, Brian R.
3653
AMAL
Licania michauxii Prance
UNA00034440 Mobile 28 Aug 1951 Chermock, Ralph L.
s.n.
UNA
Licania michauxii Prance
AMAL00013210 Clarke 15 Jun 2007 Keener, Brian R.
3689
AMAL
Licania michauxii Prance
AMAL00006359 Dale 14 May 1999 Kral, Robert
88453
AMAL
Licania michauxii Prance
UWAL0044477 Baldwin 07 Jul 2001 Larsen, Harry S.
873
UWAL
Geobalanus oblongifolius (Michx.) Small
USAM000003763 Baldwin 15 Jun 1974 LeLong, Michel G.
7867
USAM
Chrysobalanus oblongifolius Michaux
ALNHS00001102 Baldwin 17 May 2012 Barger, T. Wayne
SP#471
ALNHS
Geobalanus oblongifolius (Michaux) Small
UWAL0044476 Baldwin 12 Aug 2002 Larsen, Harry S.
1042
UWAL
Geobalanus oblongifolius (Michx.) Small
UWAL0008667 Baldwin 03 Jun 2007 Keener, Brian R.
3653
UWAL
Licania michauxii Prance
AUA_ACC_50763 Escambia 6 Jun 1990 Diamond, Alvin R.
6957
AUA
Licania Michauxii Prance
TROY000003753 Covington 08 Jul 2001 Diamond, Alvin R.
12503
TROY
Licania michauxii Prance
AUA_ACC_44312 Escambia 10 Jun 1986 Diamond, Alvin R.
2563
AUA
Licania Michauxii Prance
UNA00067060 Baldwin 03 Jun 2007 Keener, Brian R.
3653
UNA
Licania michauxii Prance
UNA00067072 Clarke 15 Jun 2007 Keener, Brian R.
3689
UNA
Licania michauxii Prance
AUA_ACC_58465 Escambia 1 May 1999 Searcy, Darryl
AUA
Licania Michauxii Prance
AUA_ACC_23894 Mobile 4 Jul 1971 Hester, D.
162
AUA
Licania Michauxii Prance
AUA_ACC_61877 Baldwin 27 Jul 1968 Burttram, A.Kenneth
AUA
Licania Michauxii Prance
JSU118888 Baldwin 20 Aug 1968 Landers, Kenneth E.
s.n.
JSU
Licania michauxii Prance
UWAL0038571 Baldwin 20 Jul 1974 LeLong, Michel G.
8029
UWAL
Geobalanus oblongifolius (Michx.) Small
SAMF0003102 Escambia 02 Jun 2015 Davenport, Lawrence J.
5796
SAMF
Licania michauxii Prance
TROY000018006 Baldwin 03 Jun 2007 Keener, Brian R.
3653
TROY
Licania michauxii Prance
AUA_ACC_70337 Escambia 19 May 2009 Hansen, Curtis J.
3951
AUA
Licania Michauxii Prance
AUA000042521 Covington 16 Jun 2011 Pancake, Jr., Dale C.
S.N.
AUA
Licania Michauxii Prance
AUA_ACC_37562 Baldwin 15 Sep 1981 Henderson, T.
541
AUA
Licania Michauxii Prance
UWAL0034791 Baldwin 07 Jun 1995 Kral, Robert
84928
UWAL
Licania michauxii Prance
AUA_ACC_65838 Baldwin 26 Jun 2006 Diamond, Alvin R.
16591
AUA
Licania Michauxii Prance
TROY000018007 Clarke 15 Jun 2007 Keener, Brian R.
3689
TROY
Licania michauxii Prance
UNA00023509 Escambia 31 Aug 1994 Haynes, Robert R.
9509
UNA
Licania michauxii Prance
AUA_ACC_45982 Houston 9 Jun 1971 Kral, Robert
43142
AUA
Licania Michauxii Prance
AUA_ACC_44313 Conecuh 10 Jun 1986 Diamond, Alvin R.
2568
AUA
Licania Michauxii Prance
SAMF0002516 Covington 19 Jun 2010 Davenport, Lawrence J.
4357
SAMF
Licania michauxii Prance
ALNHS00001374 Baldwin 24 Jul 2012 Barger, T. Wayne
SP#717
ALNHS
Geobalanus oblongifolius (Michaux) Small
UWAL0008668 Baldwin 13 Sep 2008 England, J. Kevin
1106
UWAL
Licania michauxii Prance
AUA_ACC_2601 Baldwin 15 May 1955 Scharnagel, J.
AUA
Licania Michauxii Prance
TROY000044207 Conecuh 26 Jun 2016 Diamond, Alvin R.
27518
TROY
Licania michauxii Prance
AUA_ACC_50884 Dale 28 Jun 1992 Diamond, Alvin R.
8342
AUA
Licania Michauxii Prance
AUA_ACC_5971 Baldwin 15 Jun 1968 Burttram, A.Kenneth
AUA
Licania Michauxii Prance
USAM000003764 Baldwin 20 Jul 1974 LeLong, Michel G.
8029
USAM
Chrysobalanus oblongifolius Michaux
AUA000041891 Baldwin 7 Aug 1925 Wolf, Wolfgang
AUA
Licania Michauxii Prance
UNA00023567 Escambia 28 May 1994 Haynes, Robert R.
9451
UNA
Licania michauxii Prance
JSU118890 Clarke 31 Oct 1997 Whetstone, R. David
19018
JSU
Licania michauxii Prance
UWAL0001838 Covington 19 Jun 2010 Davenport, L.J.
4357
UWAL
Licania michauxii Prance
AUA_ACC_11332 Baldwin 27 Jul 1968 Scarsbrook, Ellen
AUA
Licania Michauxii Prance
TROY000003751 Baldwin 26 Jun 2006 Diamond, Alvin R.
16591
TROY
Licania michauxii Prance
AUA_ACC_50688 Dale 26 Oct 1991 Diamond, Alvin R.
7833
AUA
Licania Michauxii Prance
USAM000003766 Mobile 23 Jun 1967 LeLong, Michel G.
3294
USAM
Chrysobalanus oblongifolius Michaux
AUA000041857 Baldwin 5 Jul 1926 Wolf, Wolfgang
2583
AUA
Licania Michauxii Prance
AUA_ACC_10183 Baldwin 12 May 1962 Parker, W.D.
AUA
Licania Michauxii Prance
JSU118891 Covington 1 Jun 1970 Kral, Robert
39430
JSU
Licania michauxii Prance
TROY000003752 Baldwin 26 May 2002 Haynes, Robert R.
10257
TROY
Licania michauxii Prance
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